Good morning,
Today’s morning briefing covers the stories we find on the Maltese Newspapers and some of the main news which took place in the past 24 hours around the world.
Lawyers who spoke to the The Sunday Times said that the record direct order of €274 million for the 10 year management of a new facility at St Vincent De Paul appears to be in breach of both local and EU public procurement laws.
Jordanian Security forces stormed on 11 August evening a building in the city of Salt where men suspected of planting the home-made bomb that killed one policeman on 10 August were believed to be hiding. EPA-EFE/ANDRE PAIN.
In another story The Sunday Times reports that the government is studying the possibility of introducing electronic tagging to make it easier to grant bail to suspects of serious crimes.
Illum reports that there are delays in the publication of the White Paper about the rent laws in view of risks that this might lead to an increase in rents.
The Malta Independent on Sunday leads with a story about the Venezuelan president who is implicated in an American investigation of €160 million laundered through Malta. An unnamed Maltese bank was used for the wiring of the funds, and an unnamed Maltese private investment firm allegedly made €20 million commission for laundering €511 million.
Police sources told the Malta Independent that there are no tangible on PM’s pre-election claim of Russian involvement in the Egrant saga. Il-Mument says that the Attorney General has hands tied up from Castille with regards to the publication of the Egrant inquiry.
Maltatoday reports that the shareholders of Pilatus Bank have demanded that the Maltese Financial Regulator allows them back on the board of directors in a bid to wind-up the bank, fearing losses of assets under its present control leadership.
It-Torca writes that the change of heart of the PN Leader about Simon Busuttil came after ‘constitutional blackmailing’ about the role of Leader of the Opposition and whether the person in charge does has the support of the majority of the members of the opposition.
Despite hundreds being injured the night before, tens of thousands of people have again protested in Bucharest. Romania remains one of the poorest and most corrupt countries in the EU. (DW)
The theme of bullying on children of politicians following the controversy which followed the interpretation of comments done a week ago by journalist Kristina Chetcuti (who is also the partner of former PN leader Simon Busuttil) on comments done by the wife of the Prime Minister in the wake of the publication of the Egrant inquiry continues to get column inches on a number of news papers’ front pages.
Dr Nickie Vella de Fremeaux, wife of PN leader Adrian Delia is interviewed on It-Torca where she’s quoted saying that the administration of a school should always interfere whenever there is a case of bullying. The newspaper also carries comments by Yovanca Barbara about her experience of bullying, claiming that she used to feel as a failure and something less then others.
Il-Kulħadd writes how elements of the Nationalist Party have reacted to Vella de Fremaux plea on bullying, by comparing the reaction of former Prime Minister Eddie Fenech Adami’s wife after their family house was ransacked in the 80s, when things were very tough for her.
In a reflection at a Saturday evening prayer vigil for over 70,000 pilgrims from all over Italy, Pope Francis invites young people to be daring in their journey of faith and to help those mired in darkness.
Maltatoday has a follow-on story questioning whether Malta’s rapid pace of change is fuelling an anxious fear of child abduction.
Maltatoday also reports that the Electricity billing system is currently in review, and such review is in its final stages. The review will bring about changes in the form of incentives for people who are careful with electricity consumption.
Leonardo da Vinci’s “Salvator Mundi,” the world’s most expensive painting, may have been not just the work of the Renaissance master, but mostly of his assistant, according to an Oxford University academic. (CNN)
Illum also reports how PL MP Glen Bedingfield made a request for an investigation on ‘dirty water’ which is being thrown in Kalkara’s beach in Rinella.
The city of Charlottesville marked the anniversary of last summer’s white supremacist violence that sent ripples through the country with largely peaceful vigils and other events, but police had a brief, tense confrontation with demonstrators angry over the heavy security presence there this weekend. (AP/EPA)
The Sunday Times reports that four protected storks killed.
In another story on the Sunday Times, we read that the Cabinet is set to approve new legislation in a bid to exempt small scale gbejniet producers from EU requirements.
